Under the sea: jewellers dive beneath the waves for inspiration

Urchins, jellyfish, crabs and sea stars come out of their watery habitat dripping with gems in these colourful under-the-ocean jewels.

19 July 2014

By Ase Anderson in London

The balmy weather has put us in the mood for some summery jewels. Crystal blue waters, with waves gently lapping at the shore, undersea creatures and beautiful seashells have all inspired some wonderful pieces that give off a distinctly warm-weather vibe.

From the new Ocean of Dreams collection, the Sea Star Boodles bracelet and ring conjure up these treasures of the sea with an ethereal combination of white and pink diamonds.

Reminiscent of a sea urchin, Boucheron's Oursin ring from the Rivage - meaning seashore - collection features cabochon sapphires, decreasing in size toward the middle of the ring and offset by sparkling white diamonds. The collection as a whole was inspired by 'The Great Wave off Kanagawa' painting by Japanese artist Hokusai.

The distinct umbrella shape of another sea creature, the jellyfish, is brought to life with almost freakish realism in a pair of Leyla Abdollahi earrings. Featuring Tahitian pearls set in platinum, you can rest assured that the sapphire and diamond tentacles on these Doris earrings won't sting you.

The hypnotic Aquaray collection from Dubai-based Phioro is inspired by founder Clare Pardoe's obsession with manta rays. A blue-green colour palette evokes the underwater world these graceful creatures inhabit.

As a child I would spend hours combing the beach for unusual seashells to bring home as holiday souvenirs. Fast forward to today and these Seaman Schepps and Silvia Furmanovich earrings bring back those childhood memories, albeit in a more luxurious form. The latter is renowned for her use of innovative and unusual materials including shells as well as real flowers and copper.

Taking the treasures of the sea to a new level, the Theo Fennell Hermitage ring features a mesmerising cabochon aquamarine that opens up to reveal a miniature hermit crab in rose gold, set with rubies. The body of the ring depicts a magical underwater world with hand-engraved seahorses, turtles and fish, all set with pavé diamonds.

Shawish bespoke Octopus bracelet in pink gold, set with white, brown and yellow round-brilliant diamonds and a pink pearl. This one-of-a-kind bracelet is fitted with Shawish light technology, which lights up the Octopus from within.

Boodles Sea Star bracelet with white and pink diamonds, from the new Ocean of Dreams collection.

Boodles Sea Star ring with white and pink diamonds, from the new Ocean of Dreams collection.

Editor's Pick

The Jewellery Editor is for sale

Help us make the future bright

Since founding The Jewellery Editor in 2010, we have grown our digital magazine to be the number one global source of information and inspiration for fine jewellery and luxury watches.

3,500 articles, 150 videos with over 5 million views and a reach of over 2 million per month on social media later, we have offered unparalleled and highly respected coverage of our sector. However, despite our editorial success, we are financially struggling as an independent publisher.

Entirely funded, owned and run by Christine and Maria in London, we are now looking to sell The Jewellery Editor so that it can continue to grow. As e-commerce becomes a priority in our industry, we believe there is huge potential for engaging editorial content and are seeking a buyer who shares our values and passion so that under their guidance we can give a bright future to the platform and help us grow our business to the next stage.

Subscribe to our newsletter

Get The Edit straight to your inbox, three times a week

We use our own and third party cookies to improve your experience and our services. If you continue, we consider that you accept their use. You can get more information on your website at cookies policy.